Bread Crumbs
by EmbracingRain
Summary: In which Sonny is sent on a scavenger hunt and Chad tries to keep a secret from the cast of Mackenzie Falls.
1. Clue One

**B.R.E.A.D..C.R.U.M.B.S**

A _Sonny With a Chance_ Story

By EmbracingRain

* * *

Chapter One

Clue One

* * *

It was never going to be an ordinary day. There was no such thing when you were a cast member of _So Random!_ at Condor Studios and your cast's mortal enemy was that of the teen drama _Mackenzie Falls_. Sonny had resigned herself to that little fact of life long ago. So when Chad barged into her dressing room Friday morning, she groaned and rolled her eyes, preparing to hear his complaints about whatever it was her friends had done now. Sonny would have put good money on Nico and Grady having done something stupid like TPing Chad's dressing room or putting a snake in the toilet in his personal bathroom. And by good money, she meant somewhere around a thousand dollars. She was that confident in their abilities (for lack of a better word).

Chad made himself comfortable in one of the chairs by Sonny's makeup table and she studied him in the mirror's reflection, thinking to herself that he was _far_ too at home on the _So Random!_ set than he should have been considering the circumstances. He was over there almost every day now, sometimes to antagonize Sonny, sometimes to complain about her friends. Most of the time, though, he was there just to talk and hang out, no strings attached. And that was odd for her, considering the negative vibe between their shows. She just couldn't see his costars being okay with him hanging out with her outside of tracking her down to rant about her friends and to possibly enact revenge.

Today, Chad had a plain, white envelope in his hands and he was fiddling with it almost nervously. The nervous twitch of his hands was the only give away that Chad wasn't actually feeling like his usual, pompous self, though. He was staring at her out of calm, azure eyes, a slight smirk tweaking his lips. But the envelope told Sonny that this wasn't exactly a social call. She had a bad feeling that that envelope contained a hefty bill for damages sustained during whatever prank it was the others had pulled.

"Whatever they did, I had _nothing_ to do with it," Sonny said with a sigh. She turned to face the blond actor, a look of impatience flickering across her countenance. Chad's smirk faltered.

"What are you talking about? They did something again?" he demanded, frantic.

"Apparently not," Sonny replied, her eyebrows knitting together with confusion. "Well, if they didn't do anything, why are you here? I thought you had scenes to shoot first thing today." She hopped out of her chair and crossed over to her changing room to fetch the props she needed for the first rehearsal of the day.

"Wow, Munroe. You must really like me to have my schedule memorized like that. It's cute…and a little bit sad."

"How could I forget when you complained about it the entire time you were here yesterday?" Sonny bit out pseudo-sweetly. "Nobody said anything about liking you." She wrenched the curtains shut so she could change into her costume. "Seriously. What are you doing here if one of the others didn't try to physically harm you?"

"You're sure in the mood to get to the point today," Chad said. He let out a nervy chuckle that didn't match the annoyance in his voice.

Sonny paused for a moment to tie a stark white apron around her waist and to grab a feather duster out of the colorful crate that stood against the wall. Apparently, Chad had a sudden penchant for being a bundle of walking contradictions today and the comedienne couldn't figure out why.

"I have rehearsals in a few minutes," she finally said, walking back to where he was still sitting in the chair and toying with that mysterious envelope. "I'm in a hurry. What's with the envelope, Chad?"

"What are you supposed to be?" he countered rudely. Sonny could see the refusal to respond to her question until she answered his in his eyes.

"French maid," she told him shortly.

"Hot."

Sonny felt her face flush and noted with a bit of glee that Chad's was doing the exact same as he suddenly lost his composure. He leapt out of the chair he had been occupying for the past few minutes as if it was on fire, effectively putting some distance between himself and Sonny. They stared at each other for a few moments, wide-eyed and red-faced.

"What?" Sonny finally choked out.

"I didn't say anything!" Chad exclaimed defensively. "Here." He thrust the envelope into her hands as she gaped at him. "I'm supposed to give that to you."

"What is it?" the brunette asked warily.

"How should I know?"

"You're giving it to me."

"That doesn't mean it's _from_ me."

"Then who gave it to you?"

"I don't know," Chad said, rolling his eyes and reclaiming the chair he'd abandoned. "Some guy."

"What'd he look like?" Sonny asked. She held the envelope up to the light to find out if doing so would allow her see part of its contents.

"Average. What are you doing with it? Do you think it's gonna explode or something? 'Cause I don't think looking at it all cross eyed is gonna help you if it does."

Sonny glared at Chad and stuck out her tongue.

"Charming, Munroe."

"What do you mean he looked average?"

"I don't know! He had a face and hair. All his limbs were intact. Average! Like… I dunno. The kind of person you see once and then forget when he's gone. Nothing like _me_. I'm memorable."

Sonny snorted. "Not for the reasons you think," she muttered, slitting open the envelope. She withdrew a single piece of paper and gave it a cursory examination. She studied Chad thoughtfully for a moment when she was done reading. "You're _sure_ you don't know who gave this to you?" she asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Sonny handed him the letter and he took it, clearing his throat before reading the contents aloud. "'Good morning, Sunshine. Let me start by saying that you know me better than most. After spending a great deal of time with you since you started working at Condor Studios and experiencing your wit, your charm, your wrath, and your friendship, I feel as though I've gotten to know you better than most as well. I would say more, but my identity has to stay a mystery for the time being. I'll have more to say to you once you've completed your adventure for the day.

"'I know you like a bit of mystery and adventure, so I thought I'd set up a scavenger hunt for you. I can promise you it'll be worth your while. And, at the end, you'll see me again; though I can't promise you'll be happy with who I am.'" Chad looked at Sonny, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "It's signed 'Anonymous,' and there's a riddle at the bottom."

"I know, Chad. I read it."

Concerned skated across Chad's face in a split-second before it was quickly replaced by amusement. "You're not actually thinking about doing this, Sonny," he said in a condescending manner.

"I don't see why not," Sonny said, snatching the letter back.

"This person sounds like a creepy, psycho stalker!"

"He intrigues me."

"How do you know it's a he? Could be a girl."

"It's a guy, Chad."

"How do you know?"

"Did you not hear the heinously awkward wording?"

"Maybe it was the way I read it that made it sound awkward," Chad said matter-of-factly.

Sonny scoffed. "It's a guy."

"Fine. But if he turns out to be a serial killer, don't come crying to me when he tries to kill you, Sonny."

"Don't worry, I won't," Sonny said mockingly. She took one last look at the riddle at the bottom of the letter before tucking it away in the drawer of her vanity.

"Fine!"

"Fine."

"Good."

"Good!

"So we're good here?" Chad asked, causing Sonny to roll her eyes.

"I've got dress rehearsals to get to, Chad. And don't you have scenes to film?" she asked as she pulled open the door and made to leave.

"What, I don't get a hug before you go?"

"You just want a girl dressed as a French maid to hug you," she retorted, looking at him over her shoulder.

"Hey, I don't crush your hopes and dreams!" Chad called after her as she left and he hurried after her. "C'mon, Sonny! Balance out the friendship here!" He heard her laugh as she rounded a corner in the direction of the _So Random!_ stage.

"Perv!"

"I resent that!"

Glancing at his watch, Chad groaned and began a mad dash in the direction of _Mackenzie Falls_. He'd told Chloe and Portlyn he'd be a little late for personal reasons, stating an estimated time of arrival of about ten twenty. Right now, it was ten twenty-seven and the first scene of the day was set to start in three minutes. He sped past Marshall Pike, scaring the older man and causing him to spill coffee down his front. Chad didn't bother with an apology, just ducked his head and urged on a final burst of energy as he rounded a final corner and burst onto the _Mackenzie Falls_ set with a single minute to spare.

"Where have you been?" Portlyn hissed as they took their mark.

Chad smiled absently at her. "I was spending some time in the sunshine," he told her. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair to fix any imperfections, preparing to ease into the character of Mackenzie like a favorite pair of shoes. Over Portlyn's shoulder, Chloe cast him a knowing smirk and gave him a thumbs up.

"Chad, it's raining."

"Congratulations, Portlyn. You've officially stated the obvious so many times you've just earned the rank of Captain. What's your point?"

"There's no sun when it rains."

"Sure there is. It just depends on where you look. And I happen to know _exactly_ where to look."

"Were you on the _So Random!_ set again?" Portlyn demanded.

"Why would I be?" Chad countered quickly, his eyes wide.

"Because you like Sonny Munroe."

"And what, pray tell, gave you _that_ idea?"

"Uh… Duh! It's so obvious. You stick to her like glue. And I know what it's like to stick to glue."

Chad stared at Portlyn, both appalled at her stupidity and concerned for the state of her mental health.

"I worry about the state of your brain sometimes," he told her.

"My brain doesn't live in a state, nimrod. It lives in my _body_."

"Wow. You…got me there, Port."

"Chad, if you and Portlyn are done arguing, we'd really like to get on with the first scene," Steven Stevenson spat nastily from his director's chair, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "We're running late already, so _both _of you need to _shut your mouths _before I _scream!"_

Rolling his eyes, Chad shoved all thoughts of Sonny and the letter out of his mind and called forth his carefully memorized lines. But as he messed up the first of many lines and Steven Stevenson threw his first fit of the day, Chad knew he was going to work a lot harder to get Sonny off his mind for the time being, something he hadn't needed to do in a long while.

oOoOoOo

_You turn to me when you want a disguise. In my depths, you'll find a clue and a prize._

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This is just a cute little story that came to mind as I was helping my friend try to figure out how to entertain some little kids she was babysitting. It's completely unrelated to the Years story arc (_Twelve Months_ and _Four Seasons_) and is more of a side project than my main concentration right now. Each chapter is going to contain one clue or more and will further add to Sonny's adventure to figure out who sent her on this scavenger hunt.

As always, reviews are loved, appreciated, and responded to!

Love,

EmbracingRain


	2. Clue Two

**B.R.E.A.D..C.R.U.M.B.S**

A _Sonny With a Chance_ Story

By EmbracingRain

* * *

Chapter Two

Clue Two

* * *

_You turn to me when you want a disguise. In my depths, you'll find a clue and a prize._

Sonny stared at the piece of paper in front of her, completely stumped. She had never liked mind games, had never been good with logic. Whoever was sending her on this stupid scavenger hunt must have hated her and very much the "hell bent on revenge" type. Nobody she knew would purposely do this to her. The comedienne already had a headache from trying to work out the puzzle and she had no idea how many more were after this one.

_Depths could mean water,_ Sonny reasoned, figuring that the part about the next clue and prize had nothing to do with the location. _But then again, how would the clue not get destroyed by water?_

Groaning, Sonny flopped backward on the couch and let the hand clasping the paper dangle to the floor. This was getting ridiculous! She'd been sitting here for half an hour trying to solve this stupid riddle and was nowhere near _close_ to figuring it out! She was running low on time; her next rehearsal was within the hour.

"Screw you, Chad," Sonny muttered. "You're probably in cahoots with this guy. That's why it's screwing with my mind."

She heard Tawni's door open and sat up, watching as her friend entered the room. Tawni was staring intently into a tiny mirror and touching up her lipgloss. Sonny rolled her eyes. That was so typically Tawni.

"Hi, Sonny."

"Hey, Tawn."

Tawni frowned and set both the tube of gloss and the mirror on her vanity. She turned to face Sonny, hands on her hips and a suspicious look on her face. "You sound tortured," the blond stated frankly. "Is Chad involved?"

"In a way. Why?"

"Whenever you get all mopey and upset like this, Chad's usually involved," Tawni said. She sat primly down on her chaise lounge, looking expectant. "What'd he do this time?"

"Why do you care?" Sonny raised an eyebrow, immediately on edge. If Tawni was caring, then something craftier than a stupid scavenger hunt was afoot. Tawni _never_ cared.

The blond prima donna shrugged. She pulled a nail file seemingly from nowhere. "Nothing better to do. Figured I may as well ask so you don't explode or something."

Sonny sighed and looked back at the letter before deciding that it couldn't hurt to ask Tawni for help. After all, whoever wrote the letter said absolutely nothing about asking for help. Sonny had already considered asking Zora, but Zora would make her feel stupid for not getting the clue straightaway. At least when Tawni made Sonny feel bad, Sonny could let it just roll off her back.

"It's not really Chad," Sonny explained finally. "I'm just trying to figure something out and logic isn't exactly my strong point."

Tawni snorted. "Yeah, that's been obvious since day one. Your point?"

"I'm just trying to figure out where in the studio someone would find a disguise." Sonny stood up and began to pace the room, feeling Tawni's eyes on her as she walked to and fro.

"You do realize that you, like, _just_ gave yourself the answer, right?" Tawni finally said after a few silent moments during which Sonny paced and stared at the letter in her hands. "It's totally obvious. A kindergartner could figure it out!"

"I didn't ask you to take jabs at my intelligence, Tawni! Can you _please_ just help me? I'll buy your lipstick for two months or something if you do," the brunette begged.

"Oh, relax, Spazzy. You don't have to bribe me. Just go to the stupid costume department. Sheesh!"

Sonny moaned. It was so _obvious!_ How had she not seen the answer? It was clearly spelled out. Seriously! Where did an actress get a disguise? _The costume department_. She exited her dressing room at a fast pace, dashed down the hallways, and was nearing the door she was in search of when a strong, long-fingered hand grabbed hold of her arm and tugged her to a very ungraceful stop. She wound up tripping over her own feet and the hand was the only thing that helped her _not_ fall straight into a face full of rug burn.

"Whoa there, Sonny! Where do you think _you're_ headed?" Chad's arrogant voice demanded loudly.

Sighing in annoyance, Sonny whirled around to face the _jerk_ who'd brought this logical nightmare upon her. "Let go of my arm, Cooper," she said coolly.

"Not until you tell me where you're trotting off to." He started laughing. "Trotting, whoa… Ahahaha! All you need is a ponytail and some reins!"

With Chad's hand still clamped around her arm, Sonny did the only plausible thing a girl could do given the situation. She kicked his shin. Chad yelped and let go of her (Thank God!) then began to hop up and down on one foot in the middle of the hallway.

"What was _that_ for?" he wailed.

"I am _not_ a horse, you moron," Sonny said, shoving a finger in his face. She then made her escape while it was still possible, sprinting through the door she'd been in search of and finding herself face to face with racks upon racks of nothing but clothing, accessories, and shoes.

"Aw crap."

Whoever sent her on this stupid adventure was _sooo_ going to get it if she ever saw his face! Really, who did this to a girl who hated mind games and logic? Sonny could read a mystery twenty times and still not know how the detective solved the crime. That was the reason she always turned down Grady and Nico's ideas for a detective sketch!

Sonny stopped rifling through the racks of clothing for a moments. They _would_ play a prank on her like this. They'd send her off on a wild goose chase (all in good fun, of course. Grady and Nico were harmless softies) just for the fun of seeing her get frustrated.

"Well, I guess I have two suspects," Sonny muttered to herself. "And that stupid clue is _nowhere _in these clothes." She spun around, brown eyes searching the shelves of accessories. They finally alit upon a black top hat that looked like it had seen extremely better days and had a plain white envelope sitting on its brim. Naturally, it was placed on a shelf just out of the Wisconsinite's reach and she was forced to stand on an unsteady cardboard box that threatened to cave under her weight.

Mentally cursing the letter writer once more, Sonny sat down on her makeshift ladder and slit open the envelope. Out of it tumbled a silver bracelet with a solitary charm and a small slip of paper. Sonny picked up the bracelet first. The charm was a tiny replica of the sun with a yellow-orange stone placed in the center. It was simple and pretty, though Sonny felt a sun-shaped charm was just a little cheesy. She could also tell that the bracelet was expensive and quickly secured it around her wrist. It wouldn't be the smartest move to lose it.

"Who are you, mysterious letter writer?" Sonny mused aloud, running a finger over the silver links of her new piece of jewelry. "You like to play mind games, you're cheesy, and you have expensive taste in women's jewelry. That does not sound like _anyone_ I know."

Sighing, Sonny leaned back against the wall and picked up the slip of paper that had accompanied the bracelet. After reading what was written across the tiny page, she had to refrain from letting out a scream of frustration. It was another riddle.

"Why can't you let me attract _normal_ guys, Universe?"

oOoOoOo

_I'm often used behind a back. Look for me when you want a snack._

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Those of you who have read _Twelve Months_ will recognize the bracelet Sonny receives in this chapter as the same one Chad gives to Sonny in chapter two of _Twelve Months_. Make of that what you will. C:

I have no idea when chapters will be getting posted. Like I said before, **this is just a bit of a side project **for me. **_Four Seasons_ is my main concentration **on the site and I'm also deep into the planning process for my book. I will be posting, though, and **if you feel like I've just vanished without a trace, don't hesitate to PM me and reel me back in!**

Extra cookies to **TeddyLuver **who was the first to review the story!

Thanks to all of you who reviewed! You guys are awesome. C:

Love,

EmbracingRain


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